Committee on Finance Alderman Brendan Reilly, 42nd Ward
Resolution
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF "WE DON'T SERVE TEENS," AN INITIATIVE BY THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND CHICAGO BUSINESSES TO COMBAT UNDERAGE DRINKING
Whereas, Sustained effort is needed to continue progress in combating underage drinking in Chicago as each year, a new group of our younger citizens enter a period of life when they are more mobile and independent of their parents and caregivers;
Whereas, Middle school, high school and younger college students in Chicago are at significant risk of serious illness, injury, and death when they engage in illegal underage drinking which also poses a significant challenge to law enforcement, public health officials, educators, and parents and
Whereas, Over 800 persons between the ages of 15 and 20 were killed in drunk driving crashes last year in the United States with many more seriously injured;1
Whereas, Younger teens who experiment with alcohol are most likely to consume it in their homes or the homes of friends and to obtain the alcohol from adult family members;2
Whereas, research by government agencies and the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that those who begin drinking early in their teenage years face a substantially increased risk of lifetime substance abuse;3
Whereas, The Federal Trade Commission has developed We Don't Serve Teens as a research-based initiative to educate adults on the basic facts and remind them of the well known risks of harm to the underage drinkers themselves and to the general public;4 and
Whereas, We Don't Serve Teens provides parents and other adults with the means to play an active role in further reducing underage drinking through greater awareness of how teens obtain alcohol and the places where most underage drinking occurs; and
Whereas, We Don't Serve Teens provides young people with useful information on the dangers of underage drinking, the costs of violating the law, and strategies to overcome peer press...
Click here for full text